Serranus Clinton Hastings
Encyclopedia
Serranus Clinton Hastings (November 22, 1814 – February 18, 1893) was a 19th-century politician
and a prominent lawyer
in the United States. He studied law as a young man and moved to the Iowa District in 1837 to open a law office. Iowa became a territory a year later, and he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the Iowa Territorial General Assembly. When the territory became the state of Iowa
in 1846, he won an election to represent the state in the United States House of Representatives
. After his term ended, he became Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
. He resigned after one year in office and moved to California
. He was appointed to the California Supreme Court as Chief Justice a few months later. He won an election to be Attorney General of California, and assumed office shortly after his term as Chief Justice ended. He began practicing law again as Attorney General. He earned a small fortune with his law practice and used that fortune to finance his successful real estate venture. In 1878, he founded the Hastings College of the Law with a donation of US$100,000.
, on November 22, 1814 to Robert Collins Hastings and Patience Brayton. Robert Collins Hastings was a good friend and supporter of DeWitt Clinton
, whom Serranus gets his middle name from. When Robert died in 1824, the family moved to St. Lawrence County, New York
. He completed a six-year course at Gouverneur Academy
, and in 1834, he became taught and became the principal at Norwich Academy, located in Chenango County, New York
. He introduced the Hamiltonian system of instruction and the Angletean system of mathematics to the academy. In 1835, he resigned from his position at the academy to study law.
Hastings began to study law with Charles Thorpe, Esq.
, of Norwich
. After a few months of study, he decided to move to Lawrenceburg, Indiana
. He completed his legal studies there with Daniel S. Majors, Esq. He did not immediately enter the practice of law and instead became an editor of the Indiana Signal, where he supported Martin Van Buren
in his presidential campaign. He moved to Terre Haute, Indiana
, in December 1836 and underwent a legal examination by Judge Porters of the Circuit Court.
. He settled in Burlington
for a short time and then moved to Bloomington, which would later become Muscatine, Iowa
. He was examined by Judge Irwin, was admitted to the bar, and opened a law office. Shortly after this, he was commissioned Justice of the Peace
by Wisconsin Territorial Governor Henry Dodge
. He had jurisdiction over the 90 miles between Burlington, Iowa
, and Davenport, Iowa
, the western boundary was undefined. He only had one case to deal with: a man accused of stealing US$30 from a citizen and $3 from the court. He found the man guilty and sentenced him to be tied to an oak tree, receive 33 lashes across his back, be transported across the Mississippi River
to Illinois
, and be banished from the territory forever. When Iowa Territory
was organized in 1838, he won an election to represent Muscatine County, Louisa County
, and Slaughter County in the House of Representatives of the Iowa Territorial General Assembly. He served from November 12, 1838, to January 25, 1839. He was reelected to that position in 1839, this time representing Muscatine County and Johnson County
from November 4, 1839, to January 14, 1840. In 1840, a border conflict with Missouri
called the Honey War took place. He received the military title of Major and helped capture a sheriff. No battle took place, and the two states compromised on the border issue.
Hastings married Azalea Brodt on June 10, 1840, in Muscatine, Iowa. They had two children while living in Muscatine, Marshall and Clara L. He was elected to the Legislative Council that year, representing Muscatine County and Johnson County again, and served from November 3, 1840 to January 15, 1841. He was re-elected the following year, and served from December 6, 1841 to February 18, 1842. He was not elected to the Fifth and Sixth General Assemblies. He was elected President of the Legislative Council for the Seventh General Assembly, and also represented Muscatine County and Johnson County on the council. He served from May 5, 1845 to June 11, 1845. He was elected to the council for the Eight General Assembly, which was also the final one since Iowa was to become a state on December 28, 1846. He represented the same counties he had previously, and served from December 1, 1845 to January 19, 1846. During his time on the Legislative Council he helped compile the "Blue Book" of Iowa laws. It became known as the "Old Blue Book" and was the first legal code for the Iowa, Nebraska
, Dakota
, and Montana
Territories.
In 1846, Hastings was nominated to represent Iowa at large in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat. On December 29, 1846, he was elected over the Whig candidate G. C. R. Mitchell. He was the second youngest member serving in Congress at that time. He served during the second session of the 29th United States Congress
, which ended on March 3, 1847. Close to a year after his term ended as a member of the House of Representatives, Governor Ansel Briggs
appointed him as the third Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. He started his term on January 26, 1848, and resigned on January 14, 1849 to move to California
, his family deciding to stay in Iowa.
Hastings settled in Benicia, California
, and a few months later, California legislature selected him to be the first Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. He started his term on December 20, 1849, but the court did not assemble until March 4, 1850. In 1851, his family moved from Iowa to live with him in California. During his term as Chief Justice he ran for the office of Attorney General of California. Elections were held on September 3, 1851, and he won with 52.2% of the votes. The Whig
candidate, William D. Fair, received the rest of the votes. His term as Chief Justice ended in December 1851, and he assumed office as Attorney General on January 5, 1852. While serving as Attorney General, he could practice law as well, something he could not do as Chief Justice. The wealth he earned during this time became the foundation of the larger fortune he would later earn in real estate. He ended his two-year term on January 2, 1854.
. The banking firm failed, with little loss to him though. Around 1857, he left professional life, and started investing in real estate. He and his wife had seven more children after this: Charles Foster Dio., Douglas, Uhler, Robert Paul, Flora Azalea, Ella, and Lillie. He gradually acquired around one hundred lots of real estate in San Francisco, and bought large tracts of land in Solano
, Napa
, Lake
, and Sacramento
counties. In 1861, he put up many four-room buildings in the south side of San Francisco for the poor with the money he earned in real estate. The rent was $10 a month, and as a business venture it was a success. By 1862, he was worth $900,000, which was largely attributed to his real estate investments. In 1865, he traveled to Europe; four years later he accompanied William H. Seward
to view the recently purchased territory of Alaska
. Hastings College of Law, the law department of the University of California
, was founded on March 28, 1878 with his donation of $100,000. The college offered him the position of dean and he accepted the offer. He was professor of comparative jurisprudence at the college as well, a position he held until 1887. He helped establish St. Catherine Academy in Benicia, California, with a donation of $6,000. He also helped publish two volumes of the botany
of the Pacific coast. His contribution to botany would later be recognized by having the plant genus Hastingsia
named after him.
Hastings died at the age of 78 on February 18, 1893 in San Francisco, California
. He was buried at St. Helena Public Cemetery in St. Helena, California
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a prominent lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in the United States. He studied law as a young man and moved to the Iowa District in 1837 to open a law office. Iowa became a territory a year later, and he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the Iowa Territorial General Assembly. When the territory became the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1846, he won an election to represent the state in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. After his term ended, he became Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
. He resigned after one year in office and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was appointed to the California Supreme Court as Chief Justice a few months later. He won an election to be Attorney General of California, and assumed office shortly after his term as Chief Justice ended. He began practicing law again as Attorney General. He earned a small fortune with his law practice and used that fortune to finance his successful real estate venture. In 1878, he founded the Hastings College of the Law with a donation of US$100,000.
Early life
Hastings was born in Watertown, Jefferson County, New YorkWatertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
, on November 22, 1814 to Robert Collins Hastings and Patience Brayton. Robert Collins Hastings was a good friend and supporter of DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
, whom Serranus gets his middle name from. When Robert died in 1824, the family moved to St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
. He completed a six-year course at Gouverneur Academy
Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary
Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary was located in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The seminary was operated in the 19th century by the Black River Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church....
, and in 1834, he became taught and became the principal at Norwich Academy, located in Chenango County, New York
Chenango County, New York
Chenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 50,477. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning "large bull-thistle." Its county seat is Norwich.-History:...
. He introduced the Hamiltonian system of instruction and the Angletean system of mathematics to the academy. In 1835, he resigned from his position at the academy to study law.
Hastings began to study law with Charles Thorpe, Esq.
Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
, of Norwich
Norwich (city), New York
Norwich is a city in Chenango County, New York, United States. Surrounded on all sides by the Town of Norwich, the city is the county seat of Chenango County. The name is taken from Norwich, Connecticut. Its population was 7,355 at the 2000 census.Lt...
. After a few months of study, he decided to move to Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
. He completed his legal studies there with Daniel S. Majors, Esq. He did not immediately enter the practice of law and instead became an editor of the Indiana Signal, where he supported Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
in his presidential campaign. He moved to Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, in December 1836 and underwent a legal examination by Judge Porters of the Circuit Court.
Career
In January 1837, Hastings moved to the Iowa District, which was part of the Wisconsin TerritoryWisconsin Territory
The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin...
. He settled in Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
for a short time and then moved to Bloomington, which would later become Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
. He was examined by Judge Irwin, was admitted to the bar, and opened a law office. Shortly after this, he was commissioned Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
by Wisconsin Territorial Governor Henry Dodge
Henry Dodge
Henry Dodge was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son was Augustus C. Dodge with whom he served in the U.S. Senate, the first, and so far only, father-son pair to serve concurrently....
. He had jurisdiction over the 90 miles between Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, and Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, the western boundary was undefined. He only had one case to deal with: a man accused of stealing US$30 from a citizen and $3 from the court. He found the man guilty and sentenced him to be tied to an oak tree, receive 33 lashes across his back, be transported across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and be banished from the territory forever. When Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
was organized in 1838, he won an election to represent Muscatine County, Louisa County
Louisa County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 11,387 in the county, with a population density of . There were 5,002 housing units, of which 4,346 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, and Slaughter County in the House of Representatives of the Iowa Territorial General Assembly. He served from November 12, 1838, to January 25, 1839. He was reelected to that position in 1839, this time representing Muscatine County and Johnson County
Johnson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
from November 4, 1839, to January 14, 1840. In 1840, a border conflict with Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
called the Honey War took place. He received the military title of Major and helped capture a sheriff. No battle took place, and the two states compromised on the border issue.
Hastings married Azalea Brodt on June 10, 1840, in Muscatine, Iowa. They had two children while living in Muscatine, Marshall and Clara L. He was elected to the Legislative Council that year, representing Muscatine County and Johnson County again, and served from November 3, 1840 to January 15, 1841. He was re-elected the following year, and served from December 6, 1841 to February 18, 1842. He was not elected to the Fifth and Sixth General Assemblies. He was elected President of the Legislative Council for the Seventh General Assembly, and also represented Muscatine County and Johnson County on the council. He served from May 5, 1845 to June 11, 1845. He was elected to the council for the Eight General Assembly, which was also the final one since Iowa was to become a state on December 28, 1846. He represented the same counties he had previously, and served from December 1, 1845 to January 19, 1846. During his time on the Legislative Council he helped compile the "Blue Book" of Iowa laws. It became known as the "Old Blue Book" and was the first legal code for the Iowa, Nebraska
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854...
, Dakota
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
, and Montana
Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 28, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Montana.-History:...
Territories.
In 1846, Hastings was nominated to represent Iowa at large in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat. On December 29, 1846, he was elected over the Whig candidate G. C. R. Mitchell. He was the second youngest member serving in Congress at that time. He served during the second session of the 29th United States Congress
29th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
, which ended on March 3, 1847. Close to a year after his term ended as a member of the House of Representatives, Governor Ansel Briggs
Ansel Briggs
Ansel Briggs was the first Governor of Iowa, from 1846 to 1850. Briggs was a business entrepreneur, sheriff and a member of the Iowa Territorial House of Representatives before being Governor...
appointed him as the third Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. He started his term on January 26, 1848, and resigned on January 14, 1849 to move to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, his family deciding to stay in Iowa.
Hastings settled in Benicia, California
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
, and a few months later, California legislature selected him to be the first Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. He started his term on December 20, 1849, but the court did not assemble until March 4, 1850. In 1851, his family moved from Iowa to live with him in California. During his term as Chief Justice he ran for the office of Attorney General of California. Elections were held on September 3, 1851, and he won with 52.2% of the votes. The Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate, William D. Fair, received the rest of the votes. His term as Chief Justice ended in December 1851, and he assumed office as Attorney General on January 5, 1852. While serving as Attorney General, he could practice law as well, something he could not do as Chief Justice. The wealth he earned during this time became the foundation of the larger fortune he would later earn in real estate. He ended his two-year term on January 2, 1854.
Later life
Hastings continued to practice law after his term as Attorney General ended, and also became a member of the Henley, Hastings & Co. bank firm located in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. The banking firm failed, with little loss to him though. Around 1857, he left professional life, and started investing in real estate. He and his wife had seven more children after this: Charles Foster Dio., Douglas, Uhler, Robert Paul, Flora Azalea, Ella, and Lillie. He gradually acquired around one hundred lots of real estate in San Francisco, and bought large tracts of land in Solano
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
, Napa
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
, Lake
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
, and Sacramento
Sacramento County, California
Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
counties. In 1861, he put up many four-room buildings in the south side of San Francisco for the poor with the money he earned in real estate. The rent was $10 a month, and as a business venture it was a success. By 1862, he was worth $900,000, which was largely attributed to his real estate investments. In 1865, he traveled to Europe; four years later he accompanied William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
to view the recently purchased territory of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Hastings College of Law, the law department of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, was founded on March 28, 1878 with his donation of $100,000. The college offered him the position of dean and he accepted the offer. He was professor of comparative jurisprudence at the college as well, a position he held until 1887. He helped establish St. Catherine Academy in Benicia, California, with a donation of $6,000. He also helped publish two volumes of the botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
of the Pacific coast. His contribution to botany would later be recognized by having the plant genus Hastingsia
Hastingsia
Hastingsia is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, known generally as rushlilies. These are small perennial herbs endemic to serpentine soils of the Siskiyou-Klamath region in northern California and SW Oregon in the United States...
named after him.
Hastings died at the age of 78 on February 18, 1893 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. He was buried at St. Helena Public Cemetery in St. Helena, California
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
.